


aphiemi

by worstgirl



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Angst, Apologies, Gen, Injury, and christine cameo, basically just the battle of manhattan, child of aphrodite!jeremy, child of apollo!michael, child of dionysus!christine, christine is just trying to help, jeremy joined kronos, michael misses his boy, they both need hugs honestly, with the boyfs, you can pry aphrodite jer from my cold dead hands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-12
Updated: 2018-10-12
Packaged: 2019-07-29 19:10:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16270541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/worstgirl/pseuds/worstgirl
Summary: aphiemi: a greek word for forgivenessThe boy’s helmet rolled off, and Michael found himself staring down at his best friend, his sword point under his chin. He froze, seeing the scared looking blue eyes, the freckled nose and cheeks. In the months since he’d seen the other boy, he’d gotten thinner. Darker. More… grown up.~~~or the au where they’re demigods and jeremy makes mistakes





	aphiemi

Michael hadn’t seen Jeremy in almost months. The number of nights he’d spent pacing the floor of the Apollo cabin were uncountable, and he tried every method of contacting him he could think of- texting, calling, Iris messaging, hell, he’d even sent a message to the other boy’s email from sixth grade. No luck.

 

Everyone said that he had joined Kronos, but Michael couldn’t let himself believe it. Sure, Jeremy Heere was a massive idiot, and he was angry at the world, but he wasn’t that idiotic. He wasn’t that angry.

 

His time had been spent either training or trying to get in touch with his best friend. He only ate when Christine urged him to. He barely slept. His thoughts were full of the word ‘Jeremy’ on repeat. Find Jeremy, and everything would be okay.

 

With the impending battle, there wasn’t much he could do. Before he knew it, he was being carted off to fight in a war he knew they couldn’t win, listening to a kid- barely older than him- discuss battle strategy and war and fighting. They were too young to be doing this. 

 

Michael adjusted the straps on his armor, fidgeting like mad. He was supposed to be going with the Apollo cabin to Williamsburg Bridge, but he found himself staring at his sword with a sort of stricken look on his face. 

 

_ Jeremy’s face seemed to appear in the blade, teasing him. “C’mon, slowpoke, you’ll never fight an empousa like that!” Encouraging and sarcastic and oh so sweet. He’d never fought without his best friend by his side. Without Jeremy taking the right while he was left. Without them being together. _

 

A gentle hand on his arm jolted him out of his thoughts. “Hey. Michael, you holding up okay?” Christine looked up at him with worried eyes, but he just gave her the same jilted smile that he’d been giving for months. 

 

“Fine.” He sheathed his sword. “You’re going with the Demeter cabin, right? Go ahead. I’ll be fine.”

 

Christine chewed on her lip, hesitating. “Michael, if- if  _ he’s  _ here, you have to-“

 

Michael knew what she was going to say. He cut her off quickly. “He’s not going to be here, Chris. I’ll be fine.” He repeated, but before her frown, furrowed brow and all, could turn into reprimanding words, she was called away and she disappeared. 

 

Everything happened too fast after that. Michael was shoved into a fight, chopping down as many monsters as he could. The chaos and explosions and sonic arrows around him didn’t bother him. He’d given up on archery a long time ago, coming face to face with another demigod. Something was oddly familiar, too familiar, but in the heat of the battle, he didn’t care much. Without even thinking, he attacked, sword flashing through the air. 

 

His brain took over, repeating the words and lessons Jeremy and Luke and Percy had taught him over the years, before jolting forwards and managing to slice the kids breastplate and shirt, not enough to do more than graze him. He had thought so, at least, except when it went a lot deeper than expected. The kid let out a cry of pain that tore at Michael’s heart, before Michael knocked him to the ground.

 

The boy’s helmet rolled off, and Michael found himself staring down at his best friend, his sword point under his chin. He froze, seeing the scared looking blue eyes, the freckled nose and cheeks. In the months since he’d seen the other boy, he’d gotten thinner. Darker. More… grown up. Gone was the slightly baby-faced, pubescent fifteen year old of last summer. Now Michael could really tell he was an Aphrodite kid. 

 

The battle raged around them, but all Michael could focus on was Jeremy. So dark and corrupted and... He realized his hand was shaking.

 

“A-Are you going to kill me or n-not?” That stupid stutter. Jeremy hated it. He said it made him feel worthless, since one of his powers was literally the ability to speak smoothly.

 

It was still his Jeremy. Scared, nervous, hurt Jeremy. He’d hurt his boy. His best friend. The love of his life.

 

Michael pulled back, sheathing his sword- stupid to do in the midst of a war- and pulling his helmet off his head. Jeremy froze. “M-Michael?”

 

With that one word, Michael wanted to break down. He gave Jeremy a small half-smile, for an instant regretting the way he’d just left, in the middle of the night, with no warning whatsoever. He’d left his bed empty and his things gone and mostly, he’d left Michael. Hadn’t even mentioned that he might disappear that night. 

 

“Hey, Jerbear.” He mumbled quietly, before he saw Jeremy’s eyes widen. 

 

“Micha-“ Jeremy didn’t even get the chance to speak before he was jumping up, shoving Michael over as an arrow- so fast, so deadly, so unexpected that he didn’t even realize it was coming until it was too late- flew through the air right where Michael had been standing. 

 

Where Jeremy was now standing. 

 

It lodged in his side, through a chink in his armour, and Michael could tell he was going to die from it. There were tears in Jeremy’s eyes- regret or pain, Michael wasn’t sure which. 

 

A commotion further down told Michael that the Titan Lord had entered the scene, but that didn’t matter to him then. Jeremy mattered. Forget the apology he wanted. Forget the betrayal. This was his goddamn best friend, and he was not going to let him die here, now, before he even got the chance to explain himself. 

 

Michael hauled Jeremy to his feet, half carrying, half helping him walk to the other end of the bridge. He avoided as many campers and Kronos’ men as he could, just caring about Jeremy. His brothers and sisters, his cabinmates, made way for him as much as they could once they saw who he was carrying. 

 

By the time he made it to the end of the bridge, he was carrying Jeremy bridal style- had he gotten lighter? That was bad news, the kid was a stick as it was. But in that moment, Michael was thankful. He nearly ran to the Plaza, where they were keeping injured demigods. Various healers, everyone they could spare, were in the lobby, and Michael lay Jeremy down on the floor as gently as he could.

 

“Micha-“ Jeremy said, in a choked, pained voice, but Michael shushed him. 

 

“Later. You’ll be okay. I- I promise.” Michael’s words felt like an echo of all the times Jeremy- stupid, stubborn Jeremy- had gotten hurt at camp. It didn’t matter what he did. Archery, Capture the Flag, the climbing wall, swimming. Jeremy found a way to get injured. “J-Just like old times, huh?”

 

Michael fumbled with Jeremy’s armor straps, pulling off his sliced breastplate. He winced- he’d done that to him, hadn’t he? God, he was stupid. He pushed that away, just reaching around and gently gripping the arrow. “Jer. Look at me.”

 

Jeremy’s eyes fixed on his, a little unfocused. “This is going to hurt. A lot. But I have to. Okay?”

 

Jeremy seemed so out of it that he only gave a weak nod, and Michael pulled out the arrow. Jeremy let out such a pitiful sounding scream that Michael winced in sympathy, before murmuring calming words to the other, barely noticing what he was saying as he bandaged the other boy up. “It’s okay, Jer, I know it hurts, I’ve got you, you’re going to be alright, love.” 

 

He brushed Jeremy’s hair out of his forehead- he seemed to be sweating. Michael gave a pointed look at a girl who came over, probably intending on scolding him for bringing a non-camper to their base. 

 

They were soon ushered out of the makeshift infirmary. Jeremy was all cleaned up, there was no need for him to stay with such non-life-threatening injuries. Michael carried him, Jeremy almost completely passed out in his arms, up to one of the rooms, setting him on the bed. He kept watch over the sleeping boy until he drifted off himself. 

 

When he woke, Jeremy’s hand had rested on his head, tangled in his hair like he’d woken in the middle of the night and started to play with it before drifting off again. He sat up, Jeremy’s hand dropping. Somehow, that was enough to wake him. He blinked bleary eyes up at Michael.

 

As soon as he processed who it was, Jeremy burst into tears. “I’m so s-sorry, Michael, I’m so- K-Kro- he- he told me- I th-thought-“

 

Michael’s heart sunk. So Jeremy had joined Kronos. Rich’s taunts had been right all along. He shoved that away, shifting to sit on the edge of the bed and kissing Jeremy’s hair as an almost reflex. “Tell me when there isn’t a war going on, okay? Just stay here, rest. Have some ambrosia. You’re gonna be okay.” He said soothingly, gently wiping away Jeremy’s tears.

 

Jeremy gripped at his wrist weakly. Had his hands gotten smaller, or had Michael gotten bigger? Had he grown taller since he’d seen Jeremy? “N-No, I’m sorry, I just-“ 

 

“Jeremy.” Michael said, more firmly. “Later. Tell me later. When we both get out of this alive, then we can exchange apologies. Sound good?” He hummed, trying to keep his cool. 

 

Jeremy nodded, settling back onto the bed. He looked so small, in the stained bandages tucked into the sheets. Like a little kid. 

 

Michael was reminded of the last time they had done this. Just days before Jeremy’s disappearance, Michael had done this very thing when Jeremy got sliced with a sword during Capture the Flag. 

 

Some things never changed. Even in the middle of a war. Even after betrayal and disappearances and lies and secrets. Michael and Jeremy were reunited at last, and they were going to turn out okay.

**Author's Note:**

> just realized i forgot end notes:
> 
> anyways hey! i’m... somewhat better mentally so that’s good. sorry for those of you who like 3PG, the fact that there isn’t another chapter is my fault. however, i’m working on a collab with someone else, so stay tuned for that!
> 
> stay safe, and stay wonderful, loves!
> 
> ~PlayerTwoHeere


End file.
